RiEN Conference Madeira **** The Presentations ****

Have you ever been in a conference room and tried to write down everything that is being said?
Nowadays we film or take pictures of the powerpoint presentation also.

But, this does not actually allow us το actually "listen" and be inspired to the maximum by the speaker.
So for the people that attended our conference, which was by the way a huge success in every direction, we have a link further down leading to most of the presentations, nine to be exact!

For those that did not attend our conference this time....
We understand both your desire to continuously learn, and that maybe due to financial priorities you were unable to attend our RiEN conference in Madeira.

Because of this, and because the RiEN is exactly about networking, and thanks to our SUPER webmaster Ingrid De Vos, we have uploaded the majority of the presentations on our website for you too!
Please go and enjoy them, consider this as a membership benefit!

Of course everyone (members and non members) will take advantage of this now, but we are not promising to repeat it in the future.

A big THNAK YOU to all our members, associationS, schools and friends. 

Because of YOU, this SHARING is possible, we hope you are proud to be part of the RiEN.

You are a member of the RiEN if your National Association or school is a member of our network.

---------------- If you are not RiEN, then what? -----------

The link to the presentations:

http://www.reflexeurope.org/tiki-index.php?page=Upcoming%20conference

For the 1st time ever, three schools attended the RiEN AGM!

There was a voting and it has been included in our constitution that from now on school members may attend the RiEN AGM, BUT NOT participate during the procedures.

There ideas and opinions will and can be expressed to the board and representatives outside the meeting room. They are also allowed to participate in working groups for example the education working group.

The three schools that attended where:
- Inspira Premier Academy of Reflexology & Reiki,
- Reflexology Academy
- Ecole de Reflexologie Corps en Accord

We congratulate you on your passion and commitment to the progress of Reflexology inside Europe.

You have a lot to offer, please do so!

Can I work in another EU country? What qualifications are required?

We have read many times on social media questions like:

Can I work in another EU country?
What qualifications are required? 
Can I apply for national association membership? 
What are the legal requirements to practice in any of the EU countries?

So you might have level 3 or 4 or 5 qualification (UK), 
you might have trained in Denmark, or in France or elsewhere, 
what is the equivalent Qualification to the EU country you wish to work in?
Does your country offer a qualification, is it in effect at all?

For ALL these questions and many more, why not ask inside the network through your association, someone there knows!

This information is the result of teamwork, Heinrike Bergmans, Tracey Smith and the FFR France, for example.

Are you a member of an association member or student of a school member of the RiEN?

If you are not RiEN, what then?

Find out here!: http://ec.europa.eu/eqf/compare/select_en.htm#comparison

"A reflexology hypothesis of the Camuna civilization through the study of the 'Astronauts’ wall"

During our 6th European RiEN a very interesting presentation took place. 

"A reflexology hypothesis of the Camuna civilization through the study of the “Astronauts’” wall"
The presentation was from Carlo Ongaro member of FIRP http://www.firp.it/
e-mail:ongaro.carlo@libero.it


The conference was held in the University of Limerick, Limerick City, Ireland on the 8th and 9th September 2006

Our hosts where the Irish Reflexologists' Institute http://www.reflexology.ie/
and the Theme for the Conference was Alpha and Omega (The Begininning at the End).

Follows Carlo's Speech on the reflexology hypothesis of the Camuna civilization through the study of the “Astronauts’” wall.

In Italian language here: http://www.firp.it/index2.php?option=com_content&do_pdf=1&id=85

Proto-historical premise.

The Camonica valley is one of the more impressive valleys that run perpendicular to the Po Valley,and during the glacial age it was entirely covered by huge mass of ice. Seventeen thousand years
ago, the imposing glacier started to shrink, and the valley started take on the current hydrogeological conformation. Towards the end of the upper Paleolithic, approximately 13,000 years ago,
the valley started to be covered with new vegetation, wild and luxuriant, thanks to the improved climate, thus creating an ideal environment for the habitat of a rich game.

Consequently, man’s first appearance in the valley can be pinpointed during this phase, as he was driven onward by the relentless need to hunt. It was from this moment on that the ancient inhabitant felt the need to carve on the dark Tonalite and Diorite rock the first iconographic images, or the first
rock carvings.
Around 5000 B.C., an early patriarchal society was formed, organized hierarchically and markedly religious and spirituality. Subsequently, the first commercial contacts began with the European and Balkan populations, in addition to contacts with the people of the Italian peninsula.

Analysis of the wall

The rock in question is located in an impracticable area, out of the reach of tourists. Although it is rich with carvings, most people are unaware of its existence. At present, only a few archeologists
have attempted a vague interpretation of the images but, as they were not knowledgeable about reflexology and its history, they were unable to come up with a suitable explanation. It must be
mentioned once again that this place is unique. In fact, out of more than 300,000 images that have been discovered (many of which repetitive), these images are not carved anywhere else. This puts
the ancient and unknown author in a position of privilege and supremacy. There can be two figures of this caliber: one is the leader, the other the priest and/or doctor/shaman. In the first place, we need to understand that iconographic language is not an end to itself, but instead is rich in meaning.
Each image carries concepts and thoughts with it; the figures etched in the stone must be considered as bona fide pages that highlight the reality, the credo and the beliefs of whoever carved them, once they are deciphered. What was once indelibly written on the hard stone was not used to describe in newspaper-style the everyday life of these people, but rather, as in a sacred ritual, it only served the author’s purpose. The natural world, sacredness, magic and medicine were considered as one: faces of the same medal.

In the first image (figure 1) we can see how the author wants to express in some way the fact that man is “incorporated” into the foot: to us this is the first indication of a reference to reflexology.
The spear, in all likelihood, indicates a prerogative of the Camuno man: without it man could not survive.

The interpretative keystone comes from the second image (figure 2) located in the center of the wall, almost as if to steal the scene from all the others. As you can see, there are two footprints with
a singular feature: they are carved in reverse, meaning that the big toe is on the outside and the little toe is on the inside. Certainly one is tempted to decipher this fact, however superficially, as a
mistake. But carving into such a hard rock, obtaining a groove that was once much deeper than the one we see today using technologically primitive tools, required a much longer and thought out procedure compared to the painted image. Carving and the time it requires bring with it a very a descriptive will that is deterministic and marked. It is highly unlikely that the subject of one’s own
thoughts and its logic would take a wrong path. Now, letting ourselves be ideally led by this will and wishing to reproduce this scene in an easier fashion on a sandy beach, we would have to not would be, we would also see that it would be quite impossible to walk since we would be offbalance.
In short, the physiological function carried out by the feet is abolished. But if the feet no longer support and allow man to walk, than what do these footprints indicate? In our opinion, the
ancient author could not have been clearer in the concept: the meaning is not to be found in physiology, but rather in logic: with man pictured inside and reversed, those feet will never be able
to walk or provide support; they become two “reflexology” feet, used to cure and heal man.

A bit farther away a third image stands out (figure 3): in all likelihood, this image expresses deep

concepts that correlate the physical existence with the spiritual world and the reflexology aspects.
The animals pictured here represent the physical existence: in fact, without them man could notive, and so carving into a rock the image of a fawn followed by tight and sharp curves that become
wider, finishing the path with the hoofs of a mature animal can only mean the path of life. At the end, life is tough and difficult (tight and intricate curves with one full footprint and one empty footprint at the side), then, in the mature age, everything softens, the curves unravel and life becomes familiar with the reflected element (footprints with a carved man slightly touched by the line). Here we cannot fail to note how the concept of this existential line was taken up in a philosophical and poetic fashion by the ancient Greeks, who described the same line with one of the three Fates, Klotho, who spun the thread of life. Subsequently, the same thread exits the animal’s tail, gently but at a different angle, and literally disappears, just like the soul leaves the earthly existence and follows its journey…
The last image (figure 4) of this extraordinary place shows some rather peculiar figures. In the foreground, there is a large globe with grooves in it, surrounded by three footprints, one full and the
other two with half busts. Next to the globe, there is a lighted elliptical image, a little below another spherical figure. The temptation to interpret the large globe as the earth (and the internal lines would confirm this) is strong. In fact, those grooves may mean communication paths, roads, or they may simply confirm concreteness and materiality. If this were true, we would have to conclude that these ancient men, in addition to having knowledge of the terrestrial sphere (which in itself would have a bewildering meaning) were also great travelers. The problem arises from the fact that, if these indelible “pages” are proof of conceptual and symbolic elements, it is difficult to imagine a sort of a “page turning” and to give, point blank, a geological and/or geographic interpretation, unless this interpretation fits into the context of the aforementioned considerations. The footprints with the half busts may represent the becoming of an awareness of reflexology: a sort of a teaching that starts to establish itself in the author’s mind.

Perhaps an ancient school, ante litteram, of foot reflexology!?

In conclusion, we can suppose that ancient European populations were familiar with and practiced foot reflexology if these hypotheses, born out by at least part of the academic world, were real.

Happy Birthday AoR, looking forward to the next 30 years

Beyond any doubt one out of two or three Reflexology associations that stand out in our Reflexology world is the Association of Reflexologists (UK) - AoR. The AoR for years now have inspired and directly or indirectly assisted Reflexology & Reflexologists around the world either on an individual practitioner level, either on an association level. It might seem as an exageration but it is fair to say that the UK is the "Mecca" of Reflexology! Or so we think.

    Whatever the case, this year is a very special one since the AoR are celebrating their 30th Birthday! On behalf of the RiEN, we would like to send our best wishes to our fellow RiEN member and request they keep up the good work.

Changes of renal blood flow during organ-associated foot reflexology measured by color Doppler sonography

Forsch Komplementarmed. 1999 Jun;6(3):129-34.
[Changes of renal blood flow during organ-associated foot reflexology measured by color Doppler sonography].
[Article in German]
Sudmeier I1, Bodner G, Egger I, Mur E, Ulmer H, Herold M.

Abstract
Using colour Doppler sonography blood flow changes of the right kidney during foot reflexology were determined in a placebo-controlled, double-blind, randomised study. 32 healthy young adults (17 women, 15 men) were randomly assigned to the verum or placebo group. The verum group received foot reflexology at zones corresponding to the right kidney, the placebo group was treated on other foot zones. Before, during and after foot reflexology the blood flow of three vessels of the right kidney was measured using colour Doppler sonography. Systolic peak velocity and end diastolic peak velocity were measured in cm/s, and the resistive index, a parameter of the vascular resistance, was calculated. The resistive index in the verum group showed a highly significant decrease (p </= 0.001) during and an increase (p = 0.001) after foot reflexology. There was no difference between men and women and no difference between smokers and non-smokers. Verum and placebo group significantly differed concerning alterations of the resistive index both between the measuring points before versus during foot reflexology (p = 0.002) and those during versus after foot reflexology (p = 0.031). The significant decrease of the resistive index during foot reflexology in the verum group indicates a decrease of flow resistance in renal vessels and an increase of renal blood flow. These findings support the hypothesis that organ-associated foot reflexology is effective in changing renal blood flow during therapy.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=%5BChanges+of+renal+blood+flow+during+organ-associated+foot+reflexology+measured+by+color+Doppler+sonography%5D

Catalonia - Regulation of Natural Therapies July 2014 Regulación de las Terapias Naturales Julio 2014

After many years of hard work, yesterday July 3, 2014 a new milestone was marked in the field of natural therapies. A resolution in the Parliament of Catalonia, for the regulation of approved "the conditions for the exercise of the natural therapies performed by non-health professionals and non health centers" and "move to the competent authorities performing a given for the accreditation of training and no medical skills of professional practice of Natural Therapies. "

The proposal made by CiU and ERC in Catalonia, obtained the support of other political parties, getting 17 votes in favor and three abstentions which believe interesting to extend this regulation, creating multidisciplinary teams in public hospitals, among other proposals.

This initiative will clarify the current situation of controversy among health professionals and non-health professional natural therapists. At the same time the uncertainty of the end users, such as he showed us the 2008 study, Monitoring of natural therapies, "one of four Spaniards have used natural therapies" and "satisfaction has been outstanding" will be eradicated .

Finally, with words Badrena Alex, CEO of Ismet and promoter of creation of the proposed regulation with APTN-Cofenat, "this giant step will allow current and future therapists work safely, new students have criteria for the choice of training and end users to trust the quality of natural therapists "

From left to right, Alex Badrena director Ismet, Silvia Aguilera and Miguel López Ismet teachers and therapists, San-Antonio Roberto, president of APTN-Cofenat. 

- See more at: http://ismet.es/blog/2014/07/04/regulacion-de-las-terapias-naturales/#sthash.oDYIulJ0.dpuf

Después de muchos años de arduo trabajo, ayer 3 de julio 2014 se marcó un nuevo hito en el sector de las terapias naturales. Se aprobó una propuesta de resolución, en el Parlamento de Cataluña, para la regulación de “las condiciones para el ejercicio de las Terapias Naturales ejercidas por profesionales no sanitarios y en centros no sanitarios” y a “trasladar a las instancias competentes la realización de una propuesta para la acreditación de la formación y las competencias no sanitarias del ejercicio profesional de las Terapias Naturales”.

La propuesta planteada por Convergència i Unió y Esquerra de Catalunya, obtuvo el apoyo del resto de partidos políticos, consiguiendo 17 votos a favor y tres abstenciones las cuales creen interesante ampliar dicha regulación, creando equipos multidisciplinares en hospitales públicos, entre otras proposiciones.

Esta iniciativa aclarará la situación de controversia actual entre profesionales sanitarios y profesionales terapeutas naturales no sanitarios. Al mismo tiempo se erradicará la inseguridad de los usuarios finales, que tal como nos mostró el estudio realizado en 2008, Observatorio de las terapias naturales, “uno de cuatro españoles ha utilizado las terapias naturales” y “el grado de satisfacción ha sido sobresaliente”.

Finalmente y con palabras de Àlex Badrena, director general de ISMET y promotor de la creación de la propuesta de regulación junto a APTN-Cofenat, “este paso agigantado permitirá a los actuales y futuros terapeutas trabajar con total seguridad, a los nuevos estudiantes disponer de unos criterios para la elección de su formación y a los usuarios finales a confiar en la calidad de los terapeutas naturales”

- See more at: http://ismet.es/blog/2014/07/04/regulacion-de-las-terapias-naturales/#sthash.fThIACb8.dpuf

Can you diagnose with Reflexology?

Many question what is the benefit of being a member of an association, the benefit of being a RiEN member?

Today we will prove to you that there exists the benefit of acquireing knowledge. 

Knowledge is out there, it is being networked, the "other" question today is "Are you taking advantage of it?".

If you are not RiEN (a member through your national association), then what are you?

Now back to our question. 

This question has been asked many many times in the past, and it will definetely be asked over and over again in the future.

We as the RiEN, would like to add to the exisitng available information two interesting 

examples of scientists and physicians requesting this "Reflexology Diagnosis".

The first one was presented by Leila Eriksen (RiEN research group) during our RiEN

AGM in 2008 (Paris May 10th). She spoke to us about the  "Exceptional case history

registry" by NIFAB and NAFKAM and here.

Nifab.no is NAFKAMs (Norway’s National Research Center in Complementary and Alternative Medicine) website for providing the Norwegian population with evidence-based information about complementary and alternative medicine (CAM).

On page 12 of the documents Leila provided us, you can read

The Reflexologists record should contain:

(3rd bullet) Description/evaluation of the client and the clients disease/problems (a reflexological diagnose)

For more information on this, please contact Leila here

http://www.leilaeriksen.dk/da-DK/Velkommen/Engelsk-tekst.aspx

Secondly, having personally attended The First International Symposium on Reflexology and Cancer (ISRAC 2008) Israel Oct. 29th to Oct. 31st 2008.  we remember very well one of the exceptional presentations by Dr. Bibiana Carrasco Domínguez.

You can read her presentation titled Treating Children and Adolescents With Cancer in the Hospital Environment here.

Dr. Carrasco towards the end of her presentation said, "We inform the physicians and nurses of annything important we find (in the feet during their reflexology application). In some cases we found pain on a reflex where there was no correspondance to body pain or site of tumor. Upon describing these finbding to the physicians they explained to us that this "area" is where they suspect metatstasis. In other cases a decrease of felt pain in the reflex zone of the liver coincided with an improvement of Liver enzyme tests. With time, the physicians listen with an increasing interest to the information we provide them with."

It is not our intention to answer this question, rather it is to stimulate research into this question.

We hope we have helped.

As a side note.

It is against the law around the world and against Reflexology Associations constitutions for a Reflexologist to proceed to an action of diagnosis. 

For those who flert with idea, bare in mind that if ever it was proven possible for this to happen, Reflexology would then be considered medicine and our legal status would change. Not necessarily to the better.

Carefull what you wish for, it might happen!

 

Other examples trying to answer this question:

One example of trying to answer this question we can find in 1996, here by William T. Jarvis, Ph.D.

Later on in 2003, was published an interesting article examining again this potential of Reflexology found here.

Correlation study between conventional medical diagnosis and the diagnosis by reflexology (non conventional)

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

Reflexology is a non-conventional method for diagnosis and treatment of physical and medical problems by touching or applying pressure on certain areas on the foot surface. The reflexology method is based on the presumption that all body organs and various systems are represented on the foot surface.

AIM:

The purpose of this study was to test the reliability and validity of the reflexological diagnosis method.

METHODS:

Eighty patients from various clinics and departments in the Hillel Yaffe Medical Center, Hadera, were examined twice by two different reflexologists. The diagnostics that resulted from these examinations were compared with the conventional medical diagnostics of the same patients. In addition, the level of correlation between the two reflexological examinations was tested.

RESULTS:

Out of 18 body systems in 6 a statistically significant correlation was found between the conventional medical diagnosis and the two reflexological examinations. In 4 body systems, there was a statistically significant correlation between the conventional medical diagnosis and one out of the two reflexological examinations. The systems in which correlation was found are characterized by having a defined anatomic region. The examination of the significance of the diagnoses regarding the components of the body systems resulted in statistical significance in only 4 out of the 32 components. Between the two reflexological examinations, a statistically significant correlation was found in 14 out of the 18 body systems, and in only 15 out of the 32 system components.

CONCLUSION:

The reflexology method has the ability to diagnose (reliable and valid) at a systematic level only, and this is applicable only to those body systems that represent organs and regions with an exact anatomic location.

PMID:

14518162 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Written By Spiros Dimitrakoulas Reflexologist RiEN Board

2014 European elections - A call for action.

Dear Reflexologists across Europe,

Heinrike Bergmans

Please help us to inform electable MEP’s about the good work we do and the support we need from them.

RiEN is a Pan-European organization, uniting 34 Reflexology associations from 18 EU countries, representing thousands of Reflexologists and 21 schools from 14 countries at present. 

Reflexology is a Complementary and Alternative Medicine modality (CAM) widespread across Europe.

RiEN is a member of the European Federation for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (EFCAM) headed by its President, Mr Seamus Connolly.

Across the EU at least 25% of citizens use CAM and there are some 500,000 practitioners in all. 360,000 of them are trained in specific therapies rather than as medical practitioners. CAM therapies include:  aromatherapy, kinesiology, naturopathy, reflexology, shiatsu and yoga.

Belgium has this month legislated to stop existing classical homeopaths from practising. In so doing the right to practice of all therapy trained practitioners of all CAM practices across the EU (360,000) have been put at risk. 

Appropriate European regulation is now urgently needed to assure the right to practice of all appropriately trained practitioners of all CAM practices and to assure equity of access to CAM to citizens.

By way of general information, CAM is part of a global system of traditional and indigenous health practices adapted across cultures and continents. Its primary focus is health not disease, e.g. health maintenance and promotion as well as illness prevention rather than pathology and treatment.  Its most consistently sought applications are for wellbeing, health maintenance, prevention and a more personally sustainable and cost effective management of chronic illness.

CAM supports the key elements that contribute to good health including diet, exercise, health education and health literacy, healthy lifestyle practices, holistic treatment for illness - (the capacity of the individual to know and implement healthy life practices within their own unique cultural context).

In keeping with our colleagues in several EU States and on behalf of RiEN's membership, I would like to ask you, to contact your national MEP’s and ask their support, if elected, to work for equitable access to CAM by citizens in all member States, and, for a Europe-wide system of recognition and regulation of both the CAM therapies themselves and the practitioners. 

If the MEP’s are agreeable, RiEN by means of the local Reflexology organizations [and the EFCAM President, Mr Connolly] would be pleased to meet with them to outline the current situation with regard to the provision of CAM  therapies  and indicate how we could assist them on an ongoing basis in being able to speak about CAM in the European Parliament and its institutions.

In this regard please find attached the position of EFCAM in relation to CAM in Europe.

We look forward to hearing from you.

Heinrike Bergmans

Representative EFCAM for RiEN

E: efcam.rien@gmail.com

P: +32 11 815 705

Reflexology in Europe Network at the Brussels offices of the European Parliament

Did you know?

That Reflexology through RiEN was represented and presented at the conference and exhibition on the theme of 

‘Complementary and Alternative Medicine - Innovation and Added Value for European Healthcare’

that took place

at the Brussels offices of the European Parliament on Tuesday 8th - 10th October 2012.

The conference was organised by the European stakeholder group for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (EUROCAM), with a support from EPHA and kindly co - hosted by MEP's Elena Oana Antonescu (EPP, Romania), Sirpa Pietikäinen (EPP, Finland) and Alojz Peterle (EPP, Slovenia).

You can read about the conference here:
http://epha.org/a/5387

and what our Chair Louise Vaughan-Arbuckle (pictured in the midlle) shared with everyone in the RiEN newletter here:
http://us2.campaign-archive2.com/?u=296870962d9323fb7128f8891&id=38f78e8412&e=6eeca1830e

Zone Therapy or Relieving Pain At Home

Dr. William Fitzgeralds book "Zone Therapy" copyright free!
Click here and upload as a pdf.
https://archive.org/details/zonetherapyorrel00fitziala

A Guide in Securing the Quality of Research Projects for Alternative Therapists

Prepared by the Danish Reflexologists Association’s (FDZ) 

Research Committee
Lone Mørch and Leila Eriksen

The Council Concerning Alternative Treatment
The National Board of Health
Denmark
1997

Excerpt:
Placebo control (page 9): It is considered extremely difficult, not to say impossible, to carry out placebo controlled experiments with alternative treatment methods. The reason being, that the treatment systems are based on theories in which it is believed to be impossible to give the placebo clients a real "ineffective" treatment, that is a "fake" treatment. Furthermore, the therapist will always know which clients are treated "right" and which are treated "wrong", thus blurring the picture of the treatments effectiveness and influencing the result.

May be found from The Danish National Board of Health.

http://sundhedsstyrelsen.dk/publ/publ1997/guide-researchprojects.pdf

The EDiREFLEX (Spain) reflexology map.

From our RiEN member the Edireflex Associació 

https://www.facebook.com/edireflex.associacio

Después de un año y medio de reuniones para consensuar la localización de puntos reflexológicos os presentamos el mapa reflexológico de EDiREFLEX. Agradecemos a nuestro grupo de trrabajo: Maria P Sierra, Simone Harbich, Mercè Arqué, Tresa Serrahima, Txaro de Juana y Aliki Vythoulka (de diferentes escuelas de Reflexología) y todos los que asistierón a la mesa redonda de enero en EDiREFLEX para hacer posible nuestra ilusión de tener nuestro propio mapa.

Mapa EDiREFLEX
Precio: 8 euros
After a year and a half of meetings to agree on the location of points reflexology we present EDiREFLEX reflexology map. Thank you to our group of workplace: Mary P Sierra, Simone Harbich, Mercè Arque, Tresa Serrahima, Txaro of Juana and Aliki Vythoulka (from different schools of reflexology) and everyone who attended the round table of January in EDiREFLEX to make possible our dream to have our own map.

Map EDiREFLEX price: 8 euros

A new version of reflexology!

This actually did happen though...

BMJ 2010; 341:c6979 doi: 10.1136/bmj.c6979 (Published 8 December 2010) 
http://www.bmj.com/content/341/bmj.c6979.full?sid=0c9ee36b-72ab-409a-b94b-4e7ba1a7c408 

Cite this as: BMJ 2010; 341:c6979 
Integrative medicine and the point of credulity 
1. John C McLachlan, professor of medical education 
+ Author Affiliations 
1. 
1School of Medicine and Health, Durham University, Stockton-on-Tees TS17 
6BH, UK 
1. j.c.mclachlan@durham.ac.uk 


So called integrative medicine should not be used as a way of smuggling alternative practices into rational medicine by way of lowered standards of critical thinking. 
Failure to detect an obvious hoax is not an encouraging sign 
It is a common, and rarely unsuccessful, ploy to change the name of something unpleasant in order to give it greater acceptability. However, changing the name of Windscale nuclear plant to Sellafield after an accident in 1981 made it no less radioactive, and the new name quickly acquires all the connotations of the old.⇓ 

View larger version: 
 In a new window 

Increasing concern has been expressed about the presence of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) on the NHS. For instance, the House of Commons Science and Technology Committee recently reported critically on the evidence base for the use of homoeopathy in the NHS.1
Nationally and internationally, there has been a move to disguise the nature of CAM by renaming it “integrative medicine.”2 3

Of course, it is something of an insult to medical practitioners to suggest that they do not take into account their patients’ individuality, autonomy, and views as part of their daily practice. It is certainly a key tenet of evidence based medicine4 and to suggest that so called integrative medicine is somehow confined to the alternative world is a canard. 
It is sometimes possible to test the status of a notion (the terms hypothesis and theory should be reserved for ideas that are related to at least some form of evidence) by a process of opposition. This involves testing the status of the notion by looking at the limits to which it can be pushed.5

Furthermore, there is an excellent  tradition of testing research areas of dubious authenticity by means of a hoax. In 1996, Alan Sokal had a paper accepted in a cultural studies journal, in which he parodied postmodern philosophy and cultural studies by making a series of exaggerated, wrong, and meaningless statements about the potential progressive or liberatory epistemology of quantum physics in the style of the field.5
This he subsequently described in a book, bluntly called Intellectual Impostures.6

In the spirit of Sokal, therefore, I responded to a mass circulated email invitation to submit a paper to something called “The Jerusalem Conference on Integrative Medicine.” 
The invitation announced: 
An International Conference on Integrative Medicine will be held in October 
2010 in Jerusalem. It will be a meeting of professionals in the field of medicine from around the world that will deal with ways to unite the scientific principles of modern medicine with the holistic principles of alternative medicine…. 
The scientific committee of the convention is still open to accept additional topics to the conference program. 

On 1 June 2010, I sent them the following invented nonsense: 
I write to ask if you would be interested in a presentation on my recent work 
on integrative medicine. I am an embryologist by background, with an 
extensive publication record, in journals including Nature and the Proceedings 
of the Royal Society, and have written an award winning text book on medical 
embryology. Recently, as a result of my developmental studies on human 
embryos, I have discovered a new version of reflexology, which identifies a 
homunculus represented in the human body, over the area of the buttocks. 
The homunculus is inverted, such that the head is represented in the inferior 
position, the left buttock corresponds to the right hand side of the body, and 
the lateral aspect is represented medially. As with reflexology, the “map” 
responds to needling, as in acupuncture, and to gentle suction, such as 
cupping. In my studies, responses are stronger and of more therapeutic value than those of auricular or conventional reflexology. In some cases, the map can be used for diagnostic purposes. 

Although I resisted the temptation to draw an analogy with the mappings of 
phrenology, I still had it in mind, and the reference to gentle suction might have been taken by a sceptical reader to refer to the idea of kissing the point of credulity. 

The organisers replied on the same day. 
Dear Prof. McLachlan 
I thank you for your interesting and enriching mail. In order to bring the 
proposal to the Scientific Committee I would appreciate it if you could send 
me an Abstract of your proposed lecture. And a short C.V. 
Yours Sincerely 
[name redacted] 
The Jerusalem International Conference on Integrative Medicine 

I replied on the following day: 
Abstract 
Intensive study of the development of early human embryos indicates that 
there is a reflexology style homunculus represented in the human body, over 
the area of the buttocks. This homunculus corresponds to areas of clonal 
expansion (“Blaschko lines*”), in which compartments of the body have clear 
ontological relationships with corresponding areas of the posterior flanks. The 
homunculus is inverted, such that the head is represented in the inferior 
position, the left buttock corresponds to the right hand side of the body, and 
the lateral aspect is represented medially. The Blaschko lines mediate energy 
flows to parent areas, and lead to significant responses to appropriate stimuli. 
As with reflexology, the “map” responds to needling, as in acupuncture, and to gentle suction, such as cupping. Responses are stronger and of more 
therapeutic value than those of auricular or conventional reflexology. In some 
cases, the map can be used for diagnostic purposes. In both therapeutic and 
diagnostic interventions, a full case history must be taken, in order to define 
the best methods of treatment. In the presentation, anonymised case 
histories, “testimonies” and positive outcomes will be presented. The 
methodology does not lend itself to randomised double blind controlled trials, 
for obvious reasons. 
Obviously, the involvement of a sensitive area of the body poses special 
challenges. Ethical practice is of significant concern. Informed consent must 
be obtained from all patients in writing, before either therapeutic or diagnostic procedures are commenced. Although exposure of the gluteal region is recommended, procedures can be carried out using draping if this is required in order to gain patient cooperation. Chaperones or same sex practitioners are recommended in the case of female patients. 
Unfortunately, this novel paradigm may meet with closed minds and automatic rejection. Patience and understanding of “closed” mindsets is essential in order to advance this new discovery in a way commensurate with its importance. 
*See for example http://dermnetnz.org/pathology/blaschko-lines.html. 

My initial email and abstract were constructed to include appeals to authority, hints of conspiracy theories, and “scienciness,” but with an absence of evidence or plausibility. 
I received this from the organisers on 26 July 2010. 

Dear Prof. John C. McLachlan, 
You have sent a proposal to the The (sic) Jerusalem International Conference 
on Integrative Medicine. We are happy to inform you that the Scientific 
Committee has reached it’s (sic) decision and that your paper has been 
accepted and you will be able to present your lecture. The time frame will be 
15-20 minutes. Considering the tight schedule, I will appreciate if you’ll 
confirm your participation in the convention. 
Unfortunately, I did not believe that I wished to carry the joke so far as to actually attend, although part of me was tempted. 
I fully accept that this is just one instance, relating to a particular conference. And conference abstracts are refereed less stringently than full papers. But I also believe that the idea I proposed was intrinsically and self evidently ridiculous. Whereas Sokal’s hoax parodied the incomprehensibility and reductio ad absurdum of some proponents of cultural studies’ approach to natural sciences, this particular hoax parodied the absurdity and credulity of so called integrative medicine. I do not believe that rational medicine could have been fooled with something so intrinsically ridiculous as in this case. Minimum standards of common sense should, I think, have led to a polite but firm rejection—or at least further inquiry. Alternative medicine is 
not noted for rigorous inquiry, for research designed to prove the null hypothesis, but rather accepts notions on face value. Therefore a face value test is fair. 
I did also, to be honest, feel a little uncomfortable about it. There was an element of deception involved, and academic intercourse generally relies, to some degree, on good faith. I sent off the abstract in a spirit of fun, but then hesitated about making it public. I did decline the invitation (though I have never been to Jerusalem, and would have enjoyed the trip) but I didn’t want to cause harms by taking up a conference slot. But in the end, just as so called gentle teasing may reveal structures to the anatomist, so a different kind of gentle teasing may reveal something to the philosopher, and may promote an element of self awareness in proponents of alternative medicine, no matter what grand title it is disguised under. It provides, at the least, an opportunity for reflective practice, which I hope proves of some benefit to us all. 

Notes 
Cite this as: BMJ 2010;341:c6979 
Footnotes 
 Competing interests: The author has completed the Unified Competing 
Interest form at www.icmje.org/coi_disclosure.pdf (available on request from 
the corresponding author) and declares that he has no support from any 
organisation for the submitted work; no financial relationships with any 
organisations that might have an interest in the submitted work in the previous 
three years; and no other relationships or activities that could appear to have 
influenced the submitted work. 
 Provenance and peer review: Not commissioned; not externally peer 
reviewed. 

References 
1. ↵ 
House of Commons Science and Technology Committee. Fourth report: evidence 
check 2: homeopathy. 
www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200910/cmselect/cmsctech/45/4502.htm. 
2. ↵ 
DC’s improbable science. Prince of Wales Foundation for magic medicine: spin on 
the meaning of “integrated”. 2009. www.dcscience.net/?p=1466. 
3. ↵ 
Science-based medicine. Dr. Michael Dixon A pyromaniac in a field of (integrative) 
straw men.” 2009. www.sciencebasedmedicine.org/?p=450. 
4. ↵ 
Strauss SE, Richardson WS, Glasziou P, Haynes RB. Evidence based medicine: 
how to practice and teach EBM. 3rd ed. Elsevier, 2005. 
5. ↵ 
Sokal AD. Transgressing the boundaries: towards a transformative hermeneutics of 
quantum gravity. Social Text1996;46/47:217-52. 6. ↵
Sokal AD, Bricmont J. Intellectual impostures: postmodern philosophers’ abuse of 
science. Profile Books, 1998.